SHOOTS Synonyms: 341 Similar and Opposite Words

shoots 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shoot

as in fires

to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force BB guns shoot small round metal pellets

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Relevance

as in blasts

to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly

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as in pops

to strike with a missile from a gun hunters can shoot deer only during the legally specified open season

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as in rushes

to proceed or move quickly some show-off shot past all the other skiers on the slope

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as in photographs

to take a photograph of shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted

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as in casts

to throw or give off suddenly the old, broken-down toaster began shooting out sparks

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as in shouts

to voice one's opinions freely with force you've been wanting to say something since this meeting started, so shoot

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as in sprinkles

to mark with small spots especially unevenly hazel eyes that were brown shot with green

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as in sends

to cause to go or be taken from one place to another shot a congratulatory e-mail to his friend as soon as he heard the good news

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shoots

2 of 2

noun

plural of shoot

as in limbs

a branch of a main stem especially of a plant collected the most tender shoots for the vegetable dish he was making

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as in pains

a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body there'd be a shoot of pain from that molar whenever I bit down

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of shoots

Verb

Note that Denise is the parent who arms herself with a rifle and first shoots a dinosaur while Greg ambles around with a baseball bat. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026 Priscilla shoots Wayne, and then lets John and Lucky leave with the money. — Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 As the laundry gun shoots plasma into fabric, the electrons collide with gas molecules in the surrounding air, such as oxygen (O2) and water vapor (H2O). — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026 And then Catherine decides for her, or maybe for herself, and shoots this abusive man in the side before fleeing off into the New York City streets. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026 Her stint at Slough House is cut short when another slow horse, Jed Moody, shoots her during what is called the Hobden operation. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 Of course, the Dream scores nearly eight more points per game at home and shoots much better from behind the arc. — Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 Kit Connor will play the role of Cyclops, a mutant who shoots energy from his eyes and is also Jean's love interest from the comic books and the movies. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 Before Wolverine can intervene, Trask shoots Essex, who’s left clinging to life. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

Noun

Just when things are looking dire for John and Sarah, the T-800 reboots on auxiliary power and shoots the T-1000 with a grenade launcher. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 In late July, the nonprofit FilmLA reported that feature film shoots were down 20% in the second quarter versus last year. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 View gallery - 5 images This personal air defense system that tracks and shoots mosquitoes with a blue laser is officially available now. — New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026 Helmut Newton returned to it repeatedly, including for two extraordinary Vogue shoots a decade apart, in 1979 and 1989. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026 Investor and Reddit cofounder Ohanian offered a tour of his family farm in Jupiter, Florida, in a LinkedIn post on Thursday, showing off banana shoots, an herb garden, and apiary. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 Replanting divisions with three or more shoots will bloom sooner next summer. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 Allow the shoots to grow about 6- to 8-inches tall and remove them with a few roots at their base to form new plants in containers. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 In its report, the state’s film office said 92 percent of film and TV shoots in New Mexico wouldn’t be happening without the incentive. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoots

Verb

Picture Angel Reese grabbing a rebound and passing to Caitlin Clark, who then fires down the floor to Paige Bueckers, who drives to the goal and fools the help defender with a dish to the best player on the planet.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The fact is, MLB’s next expansion derby isn’t going to be won by the city that wakes up after Commissioner Rob Manfred fires the starting gun.

— Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of fires

Verb

Star Wars is no stranger to good video games, and Zero Company quite handily blasts its way into the conversation as one of the best.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
On social media, Talarico blasts Paxton on affordability, citing a recent report showing the Attorney General owns 15 homes worth $9 million dollars, while on an annual government salary of $153,000.

— Jack Fink, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of blasts

Verb

Between driving, walking while listening to podcasts, and firing off every random question that pops into my head, these might actually stick around.

— Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Toward the southern end of the park, the LeFrak Center offers ice skating in winter and roller skating in summer, and Smorgasburg, a Sunday local food fair, pops up from April to October.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of pops

Verb

The microscopic amoeba thrives in warm freshwater and can cause a neurological infection when water containing the amoeba rushes through the nose and reaches the brain, according to the state health department.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Hard hits are welcome, but not at the expense of leaving the team vulnerable to odd-man rushes.

— Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rushes

Verb

For Tom Sprinkle and Brendan Dunnigan, the role of the architect is not simply to design a building that photographs well at opening.

— Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Other law enforcement agencies laud the technology, which photographs moving vehicles, and uses software to convert license plate numbers and other vehicle details into storable, searchable data.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of photographs

Verb

That video shows three boys scrubbing the floor and walls of a room in the school with rags as Morrison shouts commands and admonishments.

— Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 24 July 2026
In the background, an adult voice shouts at the bear, helping to scare the animal off.

— Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

Definition of shouts

Verb

Kemery sprinkles the tiny seeds either in late fall or very early spring, when there’s still a chance of frost, since cold spells offer the best germination.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Thomson sprinkles critique throughout his book like seasoning unevenly applied to a gamey piece of meat.

— Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026